Southeast Asia: Vietnam

Vietnam .... not what I was expecting and what I was afraid of.

 
"Don't take my picture she said".... but unfortunately it was a little late as you can see. It got a bit louder and animated just after this picture was taken as I didn't buy Lychee nuts from the lady.... oops. Should have just offered up a few Bhat and saved myself the scolding. But -  what is more quintessentially East Asia than a the ubiquitous roadside vendor tempting you with some of the greatest foods the world has to offer!

Waterfall in Northern Thailand

So my goal over my next 5 blogs is describing a 25 day trip to South East Asia that included  visits to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand (Bangkok, Northern Thailand, Southern Thailand). My son Jake and his best friend Braden joined me in Thailand where we spent 20 amazing days hanging and exploring this wonderful corner of the planet.

I'll simply describe some of the adventures and observations that we found interesting along the way. From swimming with elephants to motorcycling through the mountains of northern Thailand to snorkeling secluded bays in the south...I'll do my best to share the experiences we were so fortunate to have had.

We traveled (like locals) using buses, hostels and local transport to better connect with the experience. Through all that traveling we didn't miss a single connection, have a "negative safety experience, or find ourselves in any real difficulty. The hawkers are quite aggressive - but in many ways I think we have created that reality.





 

In sum and as introduction, Buddhism is alive and well - the food is even better than expected (more on that later) - the people are kind,warm and accommodating - It's busy busy busy - The rural is unchanged from a 100 .....nay 500 years ago - the landscape and beaches are unbelievably beautiful  - the culture is rich and fascinating - the living is easy .....and best!  - it is a really inexpensive place to visit. Love that!

Drinks at Chilli's rooftop bar...

Formerly Saigon (which I prefer... as it reminds me of my favorite TV show MASH) Ho Chi Minh city is a complete and massive contradiction living cooperatively and efficiently with itself. I've never seen more scooters and motorcycles in one place before. At a stop light there may be 300 or 400 2-wheeled wedged between the cars transporters like packing paper around a gift or water flowing around rocks in a stream. I know - it's a weird analogy but I was really taken by the efficiency of the motorcycles vs. cars. One zipping quickly and efficiently about as the other lumbers pathetically and reluctant. It's a  city of parties and sparkling LED lights with fun and excitement all around you. On the first night I somehow partied until 6am belying my age and only slight affinity to late nights and alcohol fueled fun. That said - I'm not completely opposed :)

I met the twins Dan and Eve from New Zealand and spent a schwack of time hanging with them. At 21 years of age I was blown away by their maturity and fearlessness in the face of adventure. They had both come from volunteering at animal rescue centers in Thailand and had amazing stories to tell. As inspiring as friendly - they really made my Vietnam adventure rich and fun.

Fresh grilled frog for a snack. had to hop over and try one...

Dan and I shared a frog among a number of other interesting bites from the street vendors. The food is - well - spectacular. And as you walk along casually investigating the various booths and offerings.....the Vietnamese are loud and chatty, the smells catch your attention and spin you round as you try and discover the source. Inevitably you're led to yet another tantalizing offering but reluctantly decline given the very serious amount of food you're already consumed.  Priced right too.... that makes it even tougher.

Really really fresh fish

Staying with the idea of great food, I made friends with a tour guide on the next day. Mia did a great job on an all day tour that I'll get to soon but did an even greater job taking me to dinner after the tour. At 7pm  promptly she picked me from my hostel on her motorcycle and whisked me expertly through the streets of Saigon to a roadside eatery with not a tourist in sight. After raw prawns and these sauteed vegetable stalks that tasted like sweet licorice... we pointed out a fish that was then ceremoniously "ended" and sliced thin and served raw to us on a bed of ice. The fish remains (bones head etc) were then made into soup right at the table. A heap of vegetable appeared next and Mia expertly cooked them for us over the next while. It was at least 3 hours before I once again found myself on the back of the motorcycle beingwhisked through the lively streets of the city and back to my hostel. Thanks Mia!!!!

The tank that rolled up on the Presidential palace ending the war with the surrender by the South Vietnamese.

Being a child of the early 60's I was partially aware of what was going on around me as the 70's and images of war came to my childhood. I was aware of draft dodgers and the cries for peace and love but never really understood the realities of the Vietnam war. Nor do I now.

While I didn't really understand what was happening - what I was aware of was emotionally charged talk accompanying nightly dinner table conversation and disturbing images filling our black and white tube TV's in the evening.  Both my aunt and uncle were hippies and I recall their harsh condemnation of the American President and the ongoing war.


So I expected the tour of the Vietnam war remnants museum to be a bit emotionally heavy for me but mid-tour was suddenly overcome and overwhelmed with immense sadness and grief.  Slowly but surely I came  face to face with the harsh realities of how the Americans had behaved during that terrible time.  I had to find a bathroom and get it together...it was heavy. I was confronted with the abominable means employed to keep the socialist hoards from the gates of the great capitalist bastions of America and elsewhere.  3 million killed.... 2 million of those were innocents and only crime being born in the wrong place and wrong time. It was a sacrifice of 2 million to get 1 million Viet Cong soldiers.  The agent orange exhibit was completely overwhelming and I tried my best to convince myself that it was the best choice at the time... given what everyone knew.... and without the perspective of where we are today. Agent Orange was more than a defoliant - it left deformity as an inter generational legacy and a constant reminder of the cruelty that prevailed. All that said, it still is hard to believe and understand. What the fuck? Like other memorials throughout the world  (Auschwitz, Rwanda, The rape of Nanjing, Hiroshima, The Killing Fields etc) - we must learn from these atrocities and vow to never repeat.

 I also visited the tunnels outside the city built by the North so that they could  move around Saigon. I'm not a big fan of small enclosed spaces in the first place... so the 50 meters I traveled underground was more than enough for me. I think my expression below says it all. The entrance here is touristized... but I did go into an actual hole...and had to slip in with my hands above my head. On exit I got wedged in the opening... I am clearly to big for that game. I also went to an exhibit of all the booby traps made and used during that time. Given the lack of cash and raw materials - they were amazingly resourceful, effective and frightening.

Small cramped dark spaces with snakes and scorpions...ahhhh no thank you. Any paperwork I can do....

Here I am strategizing with South Vietnamese on the Tet offensive.... grizzly but effective and likely the turning point

One other part of the tour included the opportunity to fire off machine guns of varying type and size. The safety protocols were pretty funny (Pick up a gun and start shooting toward the dirt bank) but more interesting in my mind was the choice to raise funding for a memorial condemning American aggression with the sale of bullets (you pay per bullet). Does anyone else see the irony here?... or is it just me 😂

Thank for reading - Layno!!!